It would appear that, in the future, new battery systems will be used both in stationary applications, such as wind turbines, in motor vehicles which are designed as hybrid or electric motor vehicles, and also in electronic appliances, such as laptops or mobile telephones, with very stringent requirements being placed on said battery systems in respect of reliability, safety, performance and service life.
Lithium-ion technology is suitable for a wide field of use. It is distinguished, amongst other things, by a high energy density and an extremely low level of self-discharge.
Lithium-ion cells of this type usually comprise an electrode which can reversibly incorporate lithium ions during the course of so-called intercalation or can remove them again during the course of so-called deintercalation. The intercalation takes place during the process of charging the battery cell, and the deintercalation takes place during the discharging of the battery cell for the power supply of electrical assemblies.
Battery systems are usually constructed from individual units (so-called sub-units) which can be further subdivided into battery cell modules in respect of the integration stage. The battery cell modules are constructed from battery cells, such as lithium-ion cells for example, which are wired in series and/or in parallel. In order to be fixed, said modules are braced to one another.
In automotive applications of lithium-ion storage technology, it is necessary to always ensure a stable mechanical connection between cells and a reliable cell pressure connection. Under no circumstances should there be relative movement between the cells. It is necessary for this to always be ensured under boundary conditions which are typical in automobiles, such as acceleration, vibration, crash etc. At present, this is realized by means of a force-fitting/frictional connection or an additional separate interlocking connection.
EP0065349A discloses a battery having a large number of individual cell containers which are clamped to one another and are provided with air gaps in the intermediate spaces. The air gaps serve to cool the battery. Each container is defined by thin, heat-permeable, plastic end walls. Said wall is too weak to withstand buckling. A large number of small projections are distributed over the end walls of the adjacent container walls across the gap and prevent distortion of the end walls by compensating for the internal forces of one container with the internal forces of the next container. Additional interleaving projections on the end walls make it easier to align the containers during fitting and prevent the containers from shifting relative to one another after assembly.
US2008050656 discloses a monolithically integrated thin-film lithium battery which ensures increased surface density capacity on a single level (without stacking of a plurality of cells). The thin-film lithium battery comprises a substrate which is patterned with a surface which has a large number of openings and is angled at the sides. The angles are between 10 and 80 degrees in relation to the surface.
WO10095634 discloses a solar battery module in which a first solar battery cell with a first conductive substrate having a photoreceptor area and a non-photoreceptor area is provided. The substrate is preferably provided with microscopic surface unevennesses, this being known as a structure.
DE102010013028 discloses a composite cell having a predefinable number of individual cells which are wired to one another in parallel and/or in series, wherein the respective individual cell has a housing which is formed from sheet-metal enclosures and an electrically insulating housing frame which is arranged between said sheet-metal enclosures, and the individual cells which are arranged next to one another are pressed against one another in the axial direction using at least one clamping element.
AU9665799 discloses an apparatus which comprises at least two cells and one or more electrical connectors and also positioning elements. The positioning elements are in the form of complementary plugs and sockets, for example a plurality of raised ribs, which are provided on the cells. The ribs are arranged such that a cell is positively located in relation to an adjacent cell.